Method of closing containers and the product thereof



J Aug. 15, 1.939- H. F. KNIESCHEY METHOD OF CLOSING CONTAINERS AND THE PRODUCT THEREOF Filed Oct. 11, 1952 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 15, 1939 v UNITED sr 'r-Es..

PATENT OFFICE OF CLOSING CONTAINERS AND I a THE PRODUCT THEREOF v Harry E. Kniesche, Baltimore, Md.

Appiioatlon October 11, 1932, Serial No. b31308- I 9 Claims. (U1. 226-83) present invention relates to a bottle sealing cap and more especially to a sealing cap for looked upon the lip of the bottle mouth as to prevent removal therefrom without mutilation .or breaking of the cap to such'an extent of the bottle.

Similar parts are designated by'the same refthat it will give immediately apparent-evidence of its having been removed and thereby notify the user that the protective provided by the cap has been broken.

Another object is .to provide a sealing cap of this character which is capable of being so formed and set on the lip of the bottlemouth that it will -fit smoothly and intimately against and around such lip and will be locked thereon by the inherent properties of the materialcomposing the cap, thereby precluding the presence of crevices or other spaces between'it and the lip which might. admit or permit the lodgment of bacterial or other unsanitary matter, so that the. sealing cap will maintain the bottle mouth and lm in a clean and sanitary condition. A- further object of the invention is'to pro vide a method of making and applying a cap of this character whereby the cap can be manufactured. inexpensively bottle mouth by a relatively simple means. i f

To these and other ends, the invention consists of certain features which-will be hereinafter'more fully described and claimed.

' In the accompanying drawing: Fig. '1 is a diagrammatic View showing the preferred manner-of molding a sealing cap according to the presentinventi'onp Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing dies suitable for compressing the flange of the molded cap at intervals dies shown in'Fig- 2, showing the manner in around its circumference; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken through portions of the which the flange of the cap is compressed thereby at intervals around its circumference;

Fig.- 4 is a view of the cap. partly in section, showing its condition after beingacted upon by thedies showninli'ig. 2; J

Fig. 5 isla vertical section through the mouth 'of a milk bottle and means for remolding or afthesealing cap upon the bottle;

seal intended to be and can be aflixed rapidly o and with facility to the Fig. ii is a section taken on line 6-6 in Fi Fig. '7 is an elevation of the neck or upper end of the bottle, showing the sealing. cap molded and locked thereon;

, v 6 Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line 8-8 in Fig. 7; and r Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view, on an enlarged scale, showing the manner in which the fibrous structure of the flange of the sealing cap is altered during the molding thereof upon the lip erence characters-in the several figures.

The bottle sealing cap, according to the present invention, is preferably molded to approximately its finished form from paper pulp such for. example as that commonly used for making tively loose paper pulp which may be produced in any well known manner, the portion of the pulp between 4 the mold .members being squeezed to press therefrom the excess water or moisture and to reducethe same to the desired thickness of the cap, the cap thus formedv having a disc-like POI. tlon 4 and a surrounding annular flange 5 of a diameter to fit over the lip of the bottle mouth, this flange. being conicalor flaring toward its free edge to facilitate manufacture of the cap and enable nesting of the caps for shipment to the point of application. i The cap, molded in the manner described, after partial or complete drying thereof, is subjected to an action which compresses portions of itsthe-intervening portions of the flange uncompressed. Thisaction' is'preferably performed by the means shown in Fig. 2 wherein 6 Ba femalev die the opening in which is fluted to form ribs I which extend parallel to the axisof the opening 45 I and are spaced around its circumference, forming grooves 8' between them, and 9 representsa male is placed between the dies as shown in Fig. 2 and the die 9 is forced through the die. 6, the flange flange spaced circumferentiallyj thereof, leaving 5 of the'c'ap will be compressed between the in- 5 wardly projecting ribs I in the die 6 and the periphery of the die 9, thereby causing the flange of the cap to be compressed or reduced in thickness on the lines ll which are spaced circumferentially around the flange, leaving intervening uncompressed areas II in the portions of the flange which were accommodated by the grooves 8 in the die 6 as shown in Fig. 3, these alternately compressed and uncompressed areas thus formed in the flange extending transversely of its circumference or approximatelyparallel to the axis of the cap. In order to avoid breakage of the cap while it is being forced through the die 6, the die or plunger 9 is preferably formed with a circumferentially extending screw thread I! to bear against the inner side of the flange of the cap and thereby grip it substantially throughout its area, thereby assisiting the end ofthe plunger in forcing the cap through the die. Fig. 4 shows the form of the cap after it. has been thus acted upon by the dies 6 and 9, the alternately ar ranged compressed and uncompressed portions l and II in its flange forming flutes therein.

The fluted cap is affixed to the bottle, according to the present invention, by molding the flange of the cap upon the lip surrounding the mouth of the bottle, and such molding of the cap upon the bottle may be accomplished by relatively simple means such for example as that disclosed in my prior application, Serial No, 515,631, flled Feb. 13, 1931, and a portion of which means is herein shown. In the present instance, l3 represents the upper end or neck of an ordinary milk bottle the mouth ll of which is surrounded as usual by an annular lipli which is convexed outwardly in vertical section so that the lower portion of this lip where it joins the bottle neck will be of reduced 7 diameter relatively to the upper portion of this lip. The bottle, which is filled at the time the sealing cap is applied, may be closed by the usual closing disk It which may be pressed as usual in the recessed mouth of the bottle. After the cap, in the form shown in Fig. 4, is placed over the bottle mouth so that its disc-like portion rests upon the top edge of the bottle and its flange extends downwardly around thelip IS, an annularly arranged set of pressure applying springs it are simultaneously forced inwardly against the flange of the cap, the cap having been moistened with water either before or after being placed on the bottle'so as to soften some- ;what the pulp or fibrous material composing it,

and while the pressure is applied to the flange of the cap by the springs l8, heat is also applied to expel moisture from the pulp or fibrous material composing the flange andtb'us assist in impartingapermanentsettotheflange. Thesprings I! areeach segmental in form so that they col-' lectively form a complete circle aroimd the flange of the cap and the lip of the bottle and each of. these springs is concave on its inner surface in a plane transverse to its circumferential length to conform with the outwardly convexedcontoun'of the bottle lip .l5.

bottle willcause the flange of the cap to bemolded Therefore, forcing of the springs l8 simultaneously inwardly against and entirely around the 1 flange of the cap applied over the lip I! of the upon and around the lip liand to assume a contour which conforms with that of the u the lower edge of the flange of the cap being pressed inwardly so that it underlies the outwardly projecting portion of the bottle lip and thereby becomes locked thereon. The diameter or circumferential extent of the lower portion of the flange of the cap is reduced to enable it to thus underli or look beneath the lip l of the bottle, and such reduction in the diameter or circumferential extent of the flange of the, cap is facilitated or made possible by the previous formation of the alternately arranged compressed and uncompressed portions II and it spaced in the direction of the circumference of the flange. The simultaneous inward pressure exerted on the flange of the cap by the surrounding pressure-applying springs or members ll causes radially inward pressure to be applied to the projecting imcompressed portions l l of the flange and also imposes a circumferential compression upon the flange tending to contract its diameter or circumferen-- tial extent, and these forces thus set up in the pulp or flbrousmaterialcomposingthe flange cause the fibers from the relatively thicker uncompressed portions II to slide or shift into interlapthereof upon the bottle lip, this relative shifting of the fibers composing the flange of thecap reducing its diameter or circumferential extent so that it contracts toward or against the lip. ii of the bottle, and upon completion of this molding action, the flange of the cap will be molded intimately against the bottle lip l5 sothat it conforms exactly with the shape thereof and extendsunderthe outwardly convexed portion thereofsothatthesealingcapwillbefirmlylocked .upon the lip. Since the lip I5 of the bottle is smooth, the inner surface of the flange of the cap will be molded smoothly against it, and since the inner or flange engaging faces of the springs or pressure applying members I! are smooth. the outer surface of the flange of the cap, when the molding thereof upon the bottle has been completed, will be smooth and will have substantially the-appearance shown in Fig. 7, the compressedand uncompressed portions l0 and II oftheflange being brought by the molding p ration to the same thickness so that tbewall of the flange of the cap, after being molded on the bottle, will be of substantially uniform thickneis.

The rearranging of the flbers composing the flange of the cap, during the molding thereof upon the bottle lip, is facilitated by the moist condition of the pulp or fibrous material composg ingwthe flange and during the molding of the flange of the cap upon the bottle, heat is applied thereto; as by an electrical heating coil I! which may be placed in a head 2| containing the-pressure applying members ll so as to maintain them in a heated condition, the heat thusapplied serving to expel moisture from the flange of the cap and to thereby impart a permanentset to the flange-molded on the bottle lip.

The springs or pressure applying members ll may be simulaneously forced radially inwardly by the means shown in my prior application hereinbefore referred to, comprising a set of plungers 2O slidable radially in the head 2! and each having the middle of one of the springs ll attached thereto as by a screw 22, and another set of plungers 23 slidable radially in the'head 2| between the plungers. 2| and \slidably bearin against and overlapping the adjacent ends of the respective springs or pressure applying members ll, all of the plungers 20 and 23 being simultaneously forced inwardly by a set of levers 2| from the bottle by the user pivoted. to the head 2| at 25 and all engaging an actuator '26 which is held stationary while the head 2| is lowered over the bottle mouth asin said-prior application so that the members I8 will be pressed inwardly evenly or with equal pressure around the flange of the cap and the bottle lip. Spaces left between the ends of adjacent springs |8 compensate for the reduction in diameter or circumferential extent of the flange of the cap under the molding action thereon pro} duced by these springs. r The bottle sealing cap provided by the present invention effectively seals the bottle from malicious tampering with its contents since the cap is permanently molded on the bottle lipand is securely locked thereon by the flange of the cap which extends beneath the outwardly convexed, portion of the bottle lip. Removal of the seal may be accomplished easily by a twisting and lifting force applied thereto by the hand, but removal 'of the'sealing cap causes splitting or breaking of the flange of the cap in order that the lower portion of, the flange of the cap may pass over the upper portion of the lip which is of relatively greater diameter. jTherefore, removal of the cap for the purpose of tampering with the contents of-the bottle would lead to immediate detection, the

consequent splitting or mutilation of the flange of .the cap being plainly apparent. Since the flange of the cap covers the entire lip of the bottle and extends to its junction with the neck of the bottle, the-flange of the cap serves as a covering for thebottle lip so that bacteri'aor other unsanitary matter cannot reach or lodge upon the bottle lip and hence milk or other contents poured from the bottle will not be contaminated. Furthermore, the sealing cap molded on the bottle is lockedthereon by the inherent 9' posing the flange of the .cap, thus unnecessary to use binding wire or 7 ing members to the facility,

in my, co-pending divisional properties of the pulp or fibrous material comrendering it other fastening means which is difllcult to apply and remove and is otherwise objectionable; The improved sealing caps according to the present invention may, if desired, be made waterproof by mixing or otherwise incorporating paraflin or other suitable waterproofing material with the pulp or fibrous material, and wherrparaflin 'is so.,used, it will preclude adhering of the pressure applyflange of the cap incident to the molding thereof upon the bottle lip.

The herein described method of making sealing capsaccording to. the present invention enables such caps to be produced inexpensively and'with nd the molding of the caps upon the bottle lips may be accomplished readily and in-' expensivelyby relatively simple means.

e prepared cap disclosed herein is claimed application Ser. No.' 250,069 filed January 9, 1939.

- fIhe herein disclosed method of. making or presional application paring the cap is claimed. inmy copending divi-q Ser. No. 250,070 filed January Iclaim as my invention: l; The steps in the method of aflixing a bottle sealing cap which comprise applying a flanged thickness than the cap molded from paper pulp and having its flange compressed atintervals in its circumference with intervening uncompressed portions of greater compressed portions to the mouth of a bottlewith the flange of. the cap surrounding the lip ofzthe bottle mouth, and com-' pressing the uncompressed portions of the flange compressed at intervals than the compressed "shape. a of assembling an articleof the class described-havinga flange portion formedof alternately relatively hard and soft sections 5'5 of the cap and thereby contracting said flange circumferentially and molding it upon said lip..

2. The method of applying a bottle sealing cap to a bottle having a lip around its mouth, which comprises placing on the mouth of the bottle a flanged cap of paper pulp having its flange spaced circumferentially thereof, with intervening uncompressed portions to the flange of greater thickness than-the coinpressedpo'rtion thereof, and compressing the un-' compressed portions of the flange around its circumference tent to render the thickness of the flange uniform around its circumference and to mold the flange to the shape of the'lip.

3. The method of applying a sealing cap to a bottle having an outwardly convexed lip surrounding its mouth, the mouth of the bottle a cap molded from paper pulp and having a flared surrounding flange which is compressed at intervals spaced circumferentially thereof and on lines extending transversely of the circumference of the flange, with intervening uncompressed portions 'of the flange of greater thickness than the compressed portions thereof and pressing the uncompressed portions of the flange inwardlyunlforml'y' around its circumference against the lip of the bottle to an exbottle having an outwardly convexed lip sur-- which comprises placing on rounding its mouth, the mouth of the bottle a cap rnolded from paper 1 pulp and having a flared surrounding flange which is compressed at intervals spaced circumferentially'thereof and on lines extending transversely the flange, with interven- I of the circumference of ing uncompressed portions of greater thickness portions, and pressing the uncompressed portions of the flange of the cap while moist inwardly" uniformly around the circumference of the flange. against the'lip of the bottle to cause interlapp'ing of tions of the wall of the flange toan' extent to;

the flange circumferentially and mold contract it to the shape of the ;lip while applying heat to said flange to permanently set it in such molded 5. The method which comprises placing on' the fibers com-- posing the compressed and uncompressed poragainst the lip of the bottle to an ex- 'tent to render the compressed and uncompressed I and a container, which'method consists'in placing t said article upon the container applying pressureto said flange portion and-,thereby forcing said relatively hard; sections respectively into, ad-- ,iacent soft sections and reconsolidating the mass into a new shape..

6. The method of covering meter) nd an of a container which consists in placing on a container a fibrous article,

a portionof which has therein aplurentyof preformed relatively hard other andtoflmtommly and fixtheflbmnsufldeontbeemtflner. 8.111emethodofmuhztbetmandrmd acontalnerwhimminphdnnnldlb tamer ajihrous utbbwhichb preformed with 10 article on the oontllnll'. 

